In celebration of National Lipstick Day (today, yay!), we rounded up a dozen of the best lipstick tips from all the best beauty editors and makeup geniuses on the web. You, my dear, are welcome.
“Exfoliate lips with a gentle sugar (or other) scrub before applying any lipstick.” -Susan Nam, Celebrity Manicurist
“Don’t be afraid to go with a bold lip color during the day. No one is looking at you at work saying ‘how could she wear that red!’ It shows confidence and can be charming, too.” -Bonnie Cohen, NY Magazine
“When I’m traveling around, I put on lipstick fast and furious. But when I have time to mess around, I put it on with a brush – a lipstick brush is great of course but a concealer brush is also fine. It really helps to ‘color in the lines’ so to speak, and neater applications stay better longer.” –Aly Walansky, freelance beauty editor for just about every magazine you know and love.
“Half the battle with wearing matte lipstick (and not having it feel like a parched desert) is starting with a smooth surface. I exfoliate my lips with a toothbrush that I rub with a bit of vaseline and dip in brown sugar. Lightly scrub, wipe off, then apply your lipstick. Good bye, Sahara lips!” -Stef Andrews, weheartthis.com (editor’s note: the toothbrush concept is one of the most brilliant lipstick tips we’ve ever heard?)
READ MORE: Lipstick Facts to Celebrate National Lipstick Day
“Aside from staying hydrated, before I go to bed at night, part of my skincare regimen includes my lip care! So I will apply a medicated lip balm or hydrating lip treatment to keep my lips in top shape.” -Marie Denee, The Curvy Fashionista
“Nude lip liner. Lip liner may conjure up some pretty awful memories of beauty fails in the past (the 90’s!), but lip liner can make lipstick last longer and make lips look fuller. Just make sure to find a liner that matches your natural lip tone. Outline your lips and fill them in with your liner for long lasting color and more voluminous looking lips.” -April Unwin, beauty expert.
“I also like to apply a cream highlighter with a lip brush around the lips to give more of a pouty look.” -Rosemary G. Dietrich, celebrity makeup artist (Hallllllooooo, this is another seriously noteworthy lipstick tip moment)
“Use a clear lip liner. It will stop your lipstick from bleeding and give a more natural looking shape.” -Angela Gilltrap, Editor-In-Chief Heaven Has Heels Magazine
“My grandma was this adorable, old-school Italian lady and she had the most incredible skin into her late 80’s. Whenever she was cooking, she would always dab her lips with olive oil after she was done greasing up the pan to sauté her garlic or cook her famous Sunday Sauce. And it absolutely works! My grandma has long passed but I still find that whenever I’m in the kitchen it’s one splash for the pan and a dash for my lips.” -Jillian Kelleher, musician and former beauty publicist
“Don’t be afraid to mix and match. I love taking bits from various lipstick hues and mixing them to create a fun custom color that I’ve tailored perfectly to my skin tone.” -Misti Schindele, blogger at mistimichelle.com
“For longer lasting lip color, I like to apply the color to my lips with my fingers instead of straight out of the tube. By pushing the color into your lips, it acts more like a stain than a regular lipstick, and I honestly think it’s easier to apply that way. You don’t get that harsh outline of lips vs skin when you apply with your fingers instead of straight out of a tube.” -Lisa Bensley, MUA & blogger at beautybybenz.com
“I always pop my lip color by first applying it and then going back with a stiff brush dipped in concealer to trace the outline of my lips. Finish by lightly blending the concealer into skin with your fingertip. Your lipstick won’t bleed all day, either!” -Grace Gold, beauty journalist at GraceGold.com
